“Happiness is Only Real When Shared” — C. McCandless, Into the Wild

I recently saw the movie “Into the Wild” and it really struck a chord in me. So many things that the character Chris McCandless experienced reminded me of what we discovered in our journeys on the road in the motor home. We too feel like we connected and got to touch others lives, we made some very lasting impressions and many people did the same on us.

There is something about wondering around without much of a destination. It allows you to stumble upon the unexpected. You become open to whims which lead to real live altering experiences. When you are off course you really find out who you are and what you want.

Also noticing he spent a lot of time in the desert, it caused me to recall something a desert local had told us in Las Cruces, New Mexico…
“Here in the desert, most people are running from something, it may be a place, it may be a person, or it could be just the voices in ther own head, but make no mistake, they are running from something”

Another desert native shared with us their theory on why they seem a little off…
“Think about it, we live in 100+ degree heat most of our lives, that kind of heat has to eventually take a toll on the brain, it just has to. I mean our bodies were meant to stay at 98.5º.”

I just really connected with this movie, there were some great quotes in it, and some great characters. Much like in our trek. We are always amazed at all the people we met and really bonded with.

The quote that rang closest to me was the “Happiness is only real when shared”. This is something I have pretty always said. I told my friend Kevin one time that if I experience something wonderful, what good is it if there is noone there to share it with, I might as well have just dreamed it. It is not real.” Sharon asks me sometime why i always want someone to mountain bike or other things with and I tell her the same thing.

Sometimes I really miss those travels. I do miss the adventure :( But we are still young, there are plenty left for us and little Noah I am sure. I can only pray he will have the same adventurous spirit I have, and then again. But I remember the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true”